Random signal generator

1. A random signal generator comprising;

an electronic noise source comprising a folded MOS transistor having a drain-source current with a random component;

said folded MOS transistor comprising a drain and a source with a folded channel defined therebetween; and

a circuit for generating a digital signal based upon the random component.

2. A random signal generator according to claim 1 , wherein the folded channel is S-shaped and has a size that is at a resolution limit based upon manufacturing technology.

3. A random signal generator according to claim 1 , wherein the folded channel is zigzag-shaped and has a size that is at a resolution limit based upon manufacturing technology.

4. A random signal generator according to claim 1 , further comprising a reference transistor connected to said folded MOS transistor, said reference transistor receiving a gate voltage and a bias current equal to a gate voltage and a bias current applied to said folded MOS transistor for causing the drain-source current therefrom to randomly vary.

5. A random signal generator according to claim 1 , further comprising a comparison circuit for comparing the randomly varying drain-source current to a detection current.

6. A random signal generator according to claim 5 , wherein said comparison circuit determines a difference between the randomly varying drain-source current and the detection current; and further comprising an amplifier for amplifying the difference.

7. A random signal generator according to claim 1 , wherein said circuit comprises a sampling circuit for sampling the digital signal for providing a random digital word.

8. A random signal generator according to claim 1 , further comprising an integrating circuit for maintaining a gate voltage on said folded MOS transistor within a desired range of values.

9. A random signal generator circuit comprising:

a plurality of random signal generators, each random signal generator comprising

an electronic noise source comprising a folded MOS transistor having a drain-source current with a random component,

said folded MOS transistor comprising a drain and a source with a folded channel defined therebetween, and

a circuit for generating a digital signal based upon the random component; and

a logic circuit connected to said plurality of random signal generators for combining the digital signals for generating a digital number.

10. A random signal generator circuit according to claim 9 , wherein the folded channel is S-shaped and has a size that is at a resolution limit based upon manufacturing technology.

11. A random signal generator circuit according to claim 9 , wherein the folded channel is zigzag-shaped and has a size that is at a resolution limit based upon manufacturing technology.

12. A random signal generator circuit according to claim 9 , wherein each random signal generator further comprises a reference transistor connected to said folded MOS transistor, said reference transistor receiving a gate voltage and a bias current equal to a gate voltage and a bias current applied to said folded MOS transistor for causing the drain-source current therefrom to randomly vary.

13. A random signal generator circuit according to claim 9 , wherein each random signal generator further comprises a comparison circuit for comparing the randomly varying drain-source current to a detection current.

14. A random signal generator circuit according to claim 13 , wherein each comparison circuit determines a difference between the randomly varying drain-source current and the detection current; and wherein each random signal generator further comprises an amplifier for amplifying the difference.

15. A random signal generator circuit according to claim 9 , wherein each circuit comprises a sampling circuit for sampling the digital signal for providing a random digital words and wherein said logic circuit generates the digital number based upon the random digital word.

16. A random signal generator circuit according to claim 9 , wherein each random signal generator further comprises an integrating circuit for maintaining a gate voltage on said folded MOS transistor within a desired range.

17. A method for generating a random number from an electronic noise source, the method comprising:

providing a folded MOS transistor having a drain-source current with a random component,

the folded MOS transistor comprising a drain and a source with a folded channel defined therebetween;

generating a random digital signal based upon the random component.

18. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the folded channel is S-shaped and has a size that is at a resolution limit based upon manufacturing technology.

19. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the folded channel is zigzag-shaped and has a size that is at a resolution limit based upon manufacturing technology.

20. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

providing a reference transistor connected to the folded MOS transistor; and

providing a gate voltage and a bias current to the reference transistor, the gate voltage and the bias current being equal to a gate voltage and a bias current applied to the folded MOS transistor for causing the drain-source current therefrom to randomly vary.

21. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising comparing the randomly varying drain-source current to a detection current.

22. A method according to claim 21 , wherein the comparing comprises determining a difference between the randomly varying drain-source current and the detection current and further comprising amplifying the difference.

23. A method according to claim 17 , wherein the sampling comprises providing a random digital signal based upon the sampled random binary signal, and further comprising generating the random number based upon the random digital signal.

24. A method according to claim 17 , further comprising maintaining a gate voltage on the folded MOS transistor within a desired range of values.